A Second Chance At True Love

ra

n exercise in agony. My body was a wreck, but the pain was a dull, d

ling department. I had

of the long, steril

wasn't alone. He was holding a cup of juice with a straw for Chanel, who was

rld fell apart, was now playing nursemaid to the

ly, and he moved to shield Chanel,

ice low and wary. "What

era, I'm so glad you're alright. I was so worried. I told Ethan he s

him, a picture of damse

your room. When I'm done here, we'll talk. Chanel deserve

tch of skin that was probably slightly red. I thought of the profound

and grief so powerful it nearly

his face and tell him what he had done, what we had lost.

wouldn't believe me. He h

here a second longer, I would break.

I forced my lips into a brittle

my voice eerily calm.

k by my compliance. He

"Go back to your room and wait for me. I'll be the

for

in the empty sp

home for dinner. He'd never

an next week, I promise. He'd canceled

me five chances to prove I c

'd finally decided to stop waiting. When he'd knelt for her

an's voice cut through my tho

tention shifting to her slightest whimper. "D

n. In front of me,

Like the sky is blue, and the sun rises in the ea

" I wh

y surrender. Not to h

r him. Not in that

back straight, my steps slow

I handed over my personal credit card-one he didn't know I had-a

asked, her face creased with concern. "You've just

ine,"

, showed me more concern than my own husban

I didn't cry. I just stared at the ceiling, feeling the life

ame. He ne

ing her juice, listening to her endless complaints about her "terrible injury."

n spark anger anymore.